We Were the Lucky Ones

3.5 stars. I read this after watching the striking Hulu miniseries of the same name, so I already had a fully fleshed out image of each member of the Kurc family. Without those harrowing eight hours of TV, I think the book's weaknesses (thin characterization, pedestrian prose) would have been more apparent. Even if the novel isn't great literature, it's still an amazing story, and a reminder that the horrors of the Holocaust weren't limited to concentration camps.

the story is heartbreaking yet at the same time hopeful and shows how the human spirit can endure and even thrive in the face of its darkest moments.

I picked this book up when I found out there would be a TV adaptation and once I got to the end and discovered that it was based on a true story, I found myself wishing the author had just written a nonfiction account of her family's experience. Though I was certainly invested in the wellbeing of each character, the writing isn't particularly gripping and the book is longer than it needs to be.

This is a semi-worthwhile read if you like other Holocaust survivor books but my guess is that the TV series will be the exception to the rule and improve upon the source material.

Incredible story of survival during and after the Holocaust. The grit and determination of this family was remarkable.

Well, I just found another auto-buy author. This book destroyed me. It's amazing. EVERYONE needs to read it.
ETA: I loved it so much I ordered a copy and had it shipped to my parents just IN HOPES they will read it (they probably read 10 books a year put together). Full review to come!

The writing itself was fine, but the story of the author's family, each fighting to survive the holocaust in their own way, is fascinating.